Joseph d



J. D. COUGHLIN.

WARNING SIGNAL.

APPLlcATloN FILED PR.20,1921.

1 ,408,346, Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

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/1 TTORNEYS PATENT orFlcE. u

J'QSPH yD. COUGI-ILIN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

WARNING SIGNAL.

Application filed April 20, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, JOSEPH D. COUGHLTN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in ,the county and State of New York, have invented a new Vand'Improved Warning Signahof which the following is a description. Y

My invention relates to warning signals such as used on automobiles and other vehicles and more particularly to the type of signal involving a` vibratable diaphragm and a rotary vibrator adapted to be actuated by an axially movable operating device.

' An' object of my inventionr is to provide a signal of the indicated type having a dia'- phragm and a vibrator so formed and relatively arranged as to overcome the startling and disagreeable sounds produced by the usual signal, this object being attained by a contact element on the diaphragm yieldable in itself in addition to partaking ofthe vibrations of the diaphragm, and by providing for wiping action by the vibrator insteadV `of a clashing engagement. 'A further important object of the invention lis to provideua signal of the type referred to that may bey operated gently and with the minimum expenditure of force.

An object of the invention also is to provide a signal ofthe indicated type. involvingelements ofthe simplest form and few in number, so that the signal is in such compact constructionand involves so low` a cost of production as to adapt it to la wide field of usefulness, including its use on bicycles.

Reference is to bev had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of'this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention;

Figure 1 is asectional side` elevation of a warning signal embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken aboveand adjacent to the rotary vibrator;

Figure 3 is a. rear face view of the diaphragme: 1 Figure 4 isa central horizontal section of the diaphragm;

y Figure '5 is a perspective view ofthe ac-v tuatin J element for imparting movement to the vi rator; y

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the operatively engaged portion of the vibrator;

n Specification of Letter Patent.

Patented Feb. 28,V 1922.

Serial No. 462,955.

phragm 16 disposed in front ofan annular l ange 12 on the shell 10 between said flange Vand a clamp ring 13 of suitable cross section which is secured in place by bolts 14, or equivalent fasteners passing through said clamp ring, through the flange 12, and -V through an interposed packing ring 15.

The diaphragm 16 is provided with bolt holes'to be clamped by the clamping of the ring 13, as usual. I provide on the diaphragm 16 a novel contact element 16u. Said contact element is flat and as here shown is formed of a separate piece of metal, soldered, brazed, or otherwise secured centrally to the diaphragm. One end of the contact element 16a is disposed at an angle tothe f plane of the diaphragm. The free end o the contact element 16a is resilient. 1

I provide a novel vibrator 17 for engaging the Contact element 16a. Said vibrator admounted to turn on an axis parallel with the diaphragm 16 as hereinafter referred to.

On the upper edge of the cup-shaped dia# phragm 17 are upstanding fingers 17a turning in a path that will presentlateral sur faces thereof in succession to the opposed fiat surface of the contact element 16a to wipe over said contact element iexing` the same and vibrating the diaphragm 16. The

wiping of the lateral surfaces of the fingers' 17a over the fiat contact element 16a V*results in a smaller jump from one finger Vto the kother in the successive contacting of the element 16@L therewith, and a clashing sound' by the fingers in the successive engagement of the fingers is avoided. The yielding of the contact element also, coupled with the side engagement of the vibrating fingers, requires less force to cause the vibrator to re- Yvantageously is generally of cup-shape and 'Y volve than when the ends of teeth or like elements are engaged with an unyielding contact element on a diaphragm.

The vibrator 17 has a ycentral boss 18 formed with a lateral flange.18*- at vthe top, Said Hanse hav-ins @teeth 19 t0 be engaged by the actuating device as will appear, said tooth being usually in practice struck up from the flange 18 and formed to give it essentially the character of a ratchet tooth. A cut-out 18d results from'the stamping up of the tooth 19 and it may be partially compensated for by balancing the vibiatoi,"by producing another cut-out or recess 18c diametrically opposite in the flange` 18e.

The vibrator 17 is disposed horizontally so as to turn about a vertical axis and bearing means is provided at 'the under sidecof the vibrator consisting preferably of. avertical pin 20 rising in the shell 10 at the bottomsaidvibrator 10 having a vertical blind bore 18d extending from the under side thereof at the boss 18. As. shown, the pin 2O has an enlarged threaded zone 29 to engage in an internally threaded boss 19b produced on the-shell 10 at the interior. The

head of the pin 29 is slotted to take a screw driver. n t

For revolving the vibrator' 17 l provide a spiral actuating device 23 having a clutch head 24 thereon at its lower end, said head presenting a plurality of clutch Varms 25, there being four in the present example adapted to engage the tooth 19 when said actuating element is turned. Belowthe clutch head il the actuating device 23 is formed with an integral centering pin 26 adapted to enter a centering and bearing bore 27 (Fig. G) in the upper end of the boss 18. The operating means for the actuating device 23 is as follows: The spiral shank of said actuating device is disposed in a tubular fixed element 29, the external threads of which engage an internally threaded boss 30 formed at the interior of the shell 10 at the top, `the upper end of the tube 29 protruding through the top 'of the shell and havin@ a nut 31 thereon. Telescoping in the tune 29 is an operating tubular clement 32 having at one side thereof a laterally projecting key 33 slidable in a longitudinal slot 34 of tube 29 to prevcnt'turning of the operating tube and. cause it to have a direct up-and-down movement in the tube 29. The upper end ofthe spiral actuating element 23 extends through a transverse slot in the end 36 of the element The operating element 32 has a broadened head 37 preferablyv of inverted cup-shape and a spring 38 coiled about said tube serves to lift the tube after the pressure thereof.

vv'Q11 the 'lower end ofthe tube 29 is Aan en larged housing 39 having a radial flange 40 directed laterally inward and internally threaded to engage adjustably the threaded exterior 'of said tube 29,. The housing 39 has 'diameter to permit vertical play of, the

clutch head 241 and it has the important i funetion'also that it be adjusted` on the tube 2.9 to de @lese tothe Vibrator' 17 Without frictionally engaging the latter but preventing displacement of'th'e vibrator.

lith the described construction, upon the element 82A being caused to move downwardly in the tube 29, by a pressure on the head 37, the engagement of the spiral element 23 in the slot 35 will cause said element 23 to be given a turning movement so thatv an arm 25 of clutch head r4211 'willen gage the tooth 19 of vibrator 17 thereby revolving the latter and causing the fingers 17a to wipe over the resilient contact element 16a of the diaphragm 16. In prectie the vibrator 17 has sufficient mass tocontinlue turning under its own momentum after'the manner of a flywheel upon an impulse being imparted thereto by the actuating element 23. Thus, the vibrator runsahead the actuating element 23 and in doing so the. bevelled baci; surface of the ratlcli'et'tooth 19 will engage a bevelled surface 25 of Van arm 25 permitting the clutch head24 to ride tively responsive tothe actuating device',A 23

and the vibrator is revelublyV sustained indef pendent of the aactuating` andV "operating means.V i

l'would state in conclusion that while the illustrated example constitutesf'a practieal embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly Y to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly' theA saine can be considerably varied without'depai' ture fromth'eY spirit ofthe invention asy de; fined in the'appended claiinsl 'Having thus described 'my invention, I claim:

1.111 aV signal of the class described, a diaphragm having a contact elementA thereen resilient in itself ijnaddition 'to partaking of the vibrations of the'diapl gether with cup-shaped vibrator Coated membfsrrejecthe tired-ee of the vibrator approximately 'parallel with the anis of said vibrator, the side surfaces of which are adapted to wipe'succes'sivelyY over the AContact element of the diaphragiiu 2- 111 e Signal, 0f the @lese descibed f1 diaphragm having a fiat Contact element thereon, and` a revoluble ,cupshered vibrator. turning about an'lXS. parallel viththe.

lel with the diaphragm, and separated from each other by open spaces, said fingers presenting lateral faces to said contact element and adapted to wipe over the same in succession.

3. In a signal of the class described, a diaphragm, a vibrator mounted to turn about an axis substantially parallel with the diaphragm, a spiral actuating element, said element and vibrator having coacting engaging members, the vibrator being adapted to run ahead of the actuating element under its own momentum, a tube in which said spiral element may rise, free from the diaphragm and a depressible tubular operating element telescoping in said tube and presenting a transverse slot in itsv lower end through which the spiral actuating element extends.

4. A signal of the class described includ,- ing a vibratable diaphragm, a revoluble vibrator therefor, a spiral actuating device Jfor the vibrator, said device and said vibrator having co-engaging means and the vibrator being adapted to turn independently under its own momentum, a tube in which said actuating device may rise, and a reciprocating tubular operating device telescoping in ates, said tube having a member thereon adjustable relatively to the vibrating device to lie adjacent to the latter and guard against displacement thereof.

6. A signal of the class described including a diaphragm, a rotary vibrator therefor, and actuating means for the vibrator, said vibrator turning about an axis substantially parallel with the plane of the diaphragm and having bearing means solely at the under side thereof.

7. A signal of the class described including a diaphragm, a rotary vibrator therefor, and actuating means for the vibrator, said vibrator turning about an axis substantially parallel with the plane ofthe diaphragm and having bearing means solely at the under side thereof; together with an element lying adjacent to the top of the vibra-tor to guard against displacement thereof.

JOSEPH D. COUGHLIN. 

